Device eor eormino screens



C. R. EDWARDS.

DEVICE FOR FORMING SCREENS'.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 5. 1919.

1,323,621. Patented Dec. 1919.

INVENTOR.

(L -M1. 51 BY ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES R. EDWARDS, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO J. O. MACK, OF

HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS.

DEVICE FOR FORMING SCREENS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES R. EDWARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, in the county of Harris and State of Texas, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for F orming Screens, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a device for forming screens, and has particular relation to a mechanism of the character described, specially designed for forming well screens inasmuch as the turns of the wire when so secured are easily displaced, and torn from the pipe in the process of letting the screen down into the well. It is one of the objects 'of this invention to provide a mechanism whereby the wire may be weldedonto the pipe, by an electrical process, as the wire is wound on the pipe, so that the screening wire'will be virtually formed integrally with the pipe.

, Another object of the-invention resides in the process of winding and welding screening wlre on perforated pipe.

With the ove and other objects in view, the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, as well as to the novel process employed, all of which are described in this specification and i llustrated in the accompanylng drawings,

wherein: Figu I taken through the screen, showing the electrio wiring employed, diagrammatically.

Fig. 2, is a longitudinal sectional view of .the screen, mounted on a mandrel 1n a lathe and showing a fragmentary view of the wire winding machine.

. Referring now more particularly to the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 5, 1919.

re 1, is a transverse sectional view Patented Dec. 2, 1919.

Serial No. 287,911.

drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in eachof the figures, the numeral 1, refers to a mandrel, which is fixed against rotation in the lathe 2, said mandrel having the projecting lug -3, on one side thereof. Mounted for rotation on this mandrel, is the perforated pipe; 4, which is secured at one end in the lathe 2, and which is rotated thereby. As this pipesection is rotated, the screening wire 5 is wound spirally thereon in the usual manner, the turns'of the wire as wound being held in firm contact against the periphery of the pipe by means of the roller 6, in the wire winding machine. The mandrel 1 is mounted to travel lengthwise in the pipe, in unison with the travel of the winding machine and is so adjusted that the lug 3 will be directly opposite the point of contact of the roller with the wire being wound, and the diameter of the pipe is somewhat greater than the diameter of the mandrel, so the lug 3 will form the only point of contact between them. The numeral 7 indicates a transformer from which the electrical conductors 8 and 9, respectively, lead the former being connected to the roller 6 and the latter being connected to the mandrel, said roller and mandrel thus forming electrodes, and

an electrical current of low voltage, and of amperage sufficient to fuse the wire and pipe together, is thus completed from the lug 3, of the mandrel through the pipe and the wire, at the point where said wire is coming into contact with'said pipe as the winding process proceeds. The pipe and wire are raised in temperature at said point sufficiently to fuse and the wire is held against the pipe by the roller 6, with sufiicie'nt pressure to cause them to be Welded together, the wire in effect becoming integral'with said pipe.

In advance of the roller 6, there is a small caster 10, which is supported from the frame of the wire winding machine by means of the brackets 11, and this caster is connected to the conductor 8 through the conductor 12, which is cont-rolled by a variable resistance coil 13. In case the wire 5 should become hotter than the pipe 4, aswill often be the case, part of the current may be switched pipe 4, to control the temperatures of the wire and the pipe.

I This device and process may also be employed in brazing or soldering the wire to the pipe, as well, as welding-the same, as above specified.

What I claim is:

1. A device for winding and welding wire a on a pipe, including a mandrel, whereon the 1pc is mounted for rotation, a wire windmg roller adapted to wind the wire on the pipe, and electrical conductors connected to said mandrel and roller, respectively. 2. A device for winding and welding wire on a pipe, to form a screenin surface thereon, consisting of a mandre whereon the pipe is mounted for rotation, a wire winding device adapted to wind screening wire on said pipe, and to hold the turns of wire as the wind progresses against the outer side of the pipe, said wire winding device also operating to hold the inner side of said pipe against one side of said mandrel, and electrical current conductorsconnected to said roller and i mandrel, respectively, and through which an electrical current is completd through said mandrel, pipe, and wire, thereby causing the pipe and wire to fuse.

3. A device for winding and welding screening wire, on a perforated pipe, and including two electrodes, one of which opcrates against the outer side of the wire as wound to holdthe same against the pipe, and the other of whichcontacts with the inner side of said pipe, opposite the first mentioned electrode, and an electrical conducto r, connected to the respective electrodes,

whereby an electrical current is completed through said pipe and wire to elevate the temperature thereof to the fusing point whereby the wire is welded to the pipe.

4. The process of forming a well screen, consisting in mounting a screen pipe on a mandrel, winding screening wire therearound, through the instrumentality of a wire winding device, which presses against the outer side of a wire and holds the same against the outer side of the pipe as wound, and passing an electrical current from said mandrel through the pipe and wire to said winding device.

5. The process of forming a well screen, consisting in winding a screening wire spirally on perforated pipe, and simultaneously passing an electrical current through the pipe and wire as the latter is wound whereby said wire is welded. to said pipe.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES R. EDWARDS.

Witnesses:

E. V. ,HARDWAY, OLA M. SMITH. 

